Princess Beatrice and Richard Branson’s children set to scale new heights as they prepare to climb 15,000ft Mont Blanc in the Alps

Princess Beatrice and Richard Branson's children are set to scale new heights as they prepare to climb the highest mountain in western Europe for charity.

The young royal and Holly and Sam Branson are among a group of six friends taking on Mont Blanc in the Alps to launch a new charitable trust.

Isabella Calthorpe, Sam Richardson and Philip Nevin will also be attempting the challenge after spending two years helping the trio to set up the Big Change.

Reaching for the peak: Richard Branson, his two children Sam and Holly, Princess Beatrice, Isabella Calthorpe, Sam Richardson and Philip Nevin will climb Mont Blanc to launch their new Big Change Charitable Trust

Getting ready: The group have been training in Chamonix in France ahead of the climb

The new trust will work in
partnership with charitable projects throughout the UK that inspire and
encourage young people to be the very best that they can be.

The group set up the trust after taking part in the Caterpillar Run in 2010 when a team of
34 people all dressed in bright green tutus and hooked themselves
together with bungee ropes to set a world record for the most people to
complete a marathon tied together.

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Virgin tycoon Sir Richard Branson,
father of Holly and Sam, is also joining the group as a special guest as
they attempt to reach the sought-after summit that towers nearly 15,781ft (4,810
metres) above sea level.

Sir Richard joked that he thought he had
been brought along with the group as a 'lucky mascot' because of the number
of adventures he has successfully completed in his lifetime.

He said it was a great privilege to take
on the challenge with his children, and added of the team: 'We’ve all
known each other forever and I think everyone here is the best of
friends, we’re all very close.'

Speaking today before their first training climb in Chamonix, France, the team admitted they were feeling some trepidation at the prospect of the task ahead as they stared up at Mont Blanc.

Challenging: At 15,781ft high (4,810 metres), Mont Blanc in the Alps is the tallest mountain in western Europe

Inspiring: The group are undertaking the challenge to launch the Big Change - a charitable trust hoping to inspire young people

But Princess Beatrice said they were all eager to get involved in another challenge after the marathon and hit upon the idea of the mountain climb.

She said: 'The marathon was something where 34 friends came together and it was an incredibly successful event.

'It inspired us to create something about the Big Change and what’s better when trying to launch a charity than challenging ourselves?'

Each member of the team has undertaken
months of rigorous training in the run-up to the challenge, including
practice on climbing walls, working on their fitness and preparing for
the high altitudes they will experience.

The climb is expected to take two days if the team can complete ten hours of climbing on both days.

Holly said: 'We’ve all got a little bit of butterflies but we’re all looking forward to it.'

The Big Change team will be in Chamonix for a week to get acclimatised to the conditions on Mont Blanc.

They will now wait for the perfect climbing conditions - and break in their climbing boots - with shorter mountain climbs in the first few days before attempting the summit

The group said inspiration for the gruelling climb reflects the ambitions of the charity and how many people have to overcome their own challenges each day.

Mapping out a route: The team get to grips with the challenge ahead

Mascot: Sir Richard Branson is attempting the climb with the group after completing numerous other challenges

The charity has already been involved in several campaigns, including CABNAB, a campaign to help young people say no to knife crime and gang culture by offering basketball as a positive alternative.

The have also been involved in Only Connect, a group of crime prevention programmes in London, and award-winning charity Place2Be that works in schools to improve the emotional wellbeing of children, families and communities.

Big Change is also focusing on helping young people in inner city communities in response to the summer riots last year.

Sam Richardson, a founder and trustee of the charity, said 'Team Branson' had been kite surfing, running and playing tennis, while others had been doing a lot of running, swimming and practice climbs.

He added: 'I think with any of these sorts of challenges so many things come into play.

'It’s being physically and mentally fit and confident but the main things are the altitude, no matter how fit and healthy you are.

'It’s really a mind game, I think. I aim not only to get to the top but to get there with a big smile on my face.'

Mr Nevin, a founder and trustee of the charity, said the ethos of the London Olympics and Paralympics seemed to have swept through the country and inspired people to get out and get active.

'It seems to us all over the summer that there’s a really wonderful spirit in the UK at the moment for challenging yourself,' he said.

'Kids are believing now that even more is possible than they realised.'